Mushroom Cafreal Recipe – a goan preparation which is made in green sauce. Galinha Cafreal is chicken in green sauce! Cafreal is quite extensively used in Goa-India. Goan recipes are highly influenced by Portuguese food. Mainly chicken is marinated in Indian spices and the sauce is quite similar to Peri Peri Masala but in the Cafreal the curry is green in color. However, I have used button Mushrooms and not chicken in my Mushroom Cafreal Recipe. Mushroom cook faster hence I haven’t marinated mushrooms. My folks loved this Mushroom Cafreal made at home. The taste of Mushroom Cafreal lingers in my mouth. It’s delicious, healthy and can be eaten as stew, curry Or club with rice and roti.
My mother has asked me to make the same Cafreal with chicken next time. However I love mushrooms and more of veggies so all the vegetarians do try this recipe it tastes awesome. Generally cafreal gravy is of medium consistency. But it’s also up to you how thick Or thin consistency you want your cafreal gravy to be.
I have tweaked my cafreal a bit. I have added white sesame seeds to the paste and bay leaves for curry. All the basic flavors gives a rich, lavish thick curry.
My mouth is already watering so I can’t resist myself. Let me share the Mushroom Cafreal Recipe with you guys!
Total Time: 25 mins
Serves: 6 people
Ingredients:
- 1 packet of button mushroom (250 gms) chopped into big chunks Or as you wish
- 1 medium sized potato chopped into big chunks
- 3 tbsp (clarified butter) ghee/oil
- 2 bay leaves (optional)
- 1 t/s turmeric powder (haldi)
- 2 cups chopped coriander leaves
- 3 to 4 green chilies
- 2 tbsp white sesame seeds (til) (optional)
- 8 to 10 garlic cloves chopped ( I have used 7 to 8 garlic chives with the stem)
- 1 inch ginger chopped
- 2 onions (1 for paste and 1 for curry)
- 8 to 10 cloves
- 2 cinnamons one inch sized each
- 8 to 10 peppercorns
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 5 to 6 green cardamom (optional)
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds (khus khus)
- 20 cashewnuts (10 for paste and 10 for curry)
- 2 tomato puree
- 1.5 cup veg stock Or water
- 1 tbsp shahi jeera (optional)
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 cup oil for deep frying potatoes
- salt as per taste
Method:
Firstly wash the mushrooms Or wipe them with a clean cloth. Chop into halves and keep aside. Chop potatoes into big chunks Or wedges. Deep fry them until nice golden brown in color.
Place the potatoes on absorbent paper. Keep it aside.
Combine all the ingredients except oil, 1 onion, 10 cashews, salt, shahi jeera, tomato puree, veg stock, potatoes, bay leaves, water and mushrooms.
Grind into a smooth paste. Add 1/2 cup water if required. Keep the rest of ingredients handy.
Take a big wok Or vessel add ghee/oil. Once oil is hot add shahi jeera.
Once it crackles add bay leaves and reserved 10 cashew nuts. Saute for a minute on low fire.
Now add the remaining onion along with sugar. Saute for 2 mins on low flame.
It’s time to add the green grounded paste. Keep stirring the paste for 4 to 5 mins. Ensure it doesn’t stick at the bottom.
Now pour the tomato puree. Combine all nicely. Add little water if required allow to cook for another 4 to 5 mins. Put the chopped mushrooms into it. Stir gently.
Also add the deep fried potatoes. Finally add veg stock/ water as consistency required and do add salt for seasoning. Cook for another 5 to 6 mins uncovered.
Garnish with coriander leaves. Your Mushroom Cafreal is ready. Serve hot with bread, pav Or rice.
Tip:
- You could use chicken Or meat. Just replace mushrooms and marinate chicken into peri peri sauce. For peri peri sauce recipe you could visit this blog vegrecipesofindia.com.
- Also you could skip potatoes however I loved the potatoes in the Galinha Cafreal.
- Ideally chopped tomatoes are added in cafreal Or even tomato sauce is fine. I wanted to add tomato puree instead.
Enjoy Mushroom Cafreal!
A big thankyou for stopping by 😉
The printable version below:
- 1 packet of button mushroom (250 gms) chopped into big chunks Or as you wish
- 1 medium sized potato chopped into big chunks
- 3 tbsp (clarified butter) ghee/oil
- 2 bay leaves (optional)
- 1 t/s turmeric powder (haldi)
- 2 cups chopped coriander leaves
- 3 to 4 green chilies
- 2 tbsp white sesame seeds (til) (optional)
- 8 to 10 garlic cloves chopped ( I have used 7 to 8 garlic chives with the stem)
- 1 inch ginger chopped
- 2 onions (1 for paste and 1 for curry)
- 8 to 10 cloves
- 2 cinnamons one inch sized each
- 8 to 10 peppercorns
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 5 to 6 green cardamom (optional)
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds (khus khus)
- 20 cashewnuts (10 for paste and 10 for curry)
- 2 tomato puree
- 1.5 cup veg stock Or water
- 1 tbsp shahi jeera (optional)
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 cup oil for deep frying potatoes
- salt as per taste
- Firstly wash the mushrooms Or wipe them with a clean cloth. Chop into halves and keep aside. Chop potatoes into big chunks Or wedges. Deep fry them until nice golden brown in color.
- Place the potatoes on absorbent paper. Keep it aside.
- Combine all the ingredients except oil, 1 onion, 10 cashews, salt, shahi jeera, tomato puree, veg stock, potatoes, bay leaves, water and mushrooms.
- Grind into a smooth paste. Add 1/2 cup water if required. Keep the rest of ingredients handy.
- Take a big wok Or vessel add ghee/oil. Once oil is hot add shahi jeera.
- Once it crackles add bay leaves and reserved 10 cashew nuts. Saute for a minute on low fire.
- Now add the remaining onion along with sugar. Saute for 2 mins on low flame.
- It’s time to add the green grounded paste. Keep stirring the paste for 4 to 5 mins. Ensure it doesn’t stick at the bottom.
- Now pour the tomato puree. Combine all nicely.
- Add little water if required allow to cook for another 4 to 5 mins. Put the chopped mushrooms into it. Stir gently.
- Also add the deep fried potatoes. Finally add veg stock/ water as consistency required and do add salt for seasoning. Cook for another 5 to 6 mins uncovered.
- Garnish with coriander leaves. Your Galinha Cafreal is ready. Serve hot with bread, pav Or rice.
John Gracias says
How much tomato puree do I use. Your recipe says 2. Is that tablespoons?
maria says
John 2 tablespoon or 1 small chopped tomato.
Rupen says
“2 tomato puree” – 2 cups/tins/tomatoes’?
maria says
2 tablespoon or 1 small chopped tomato.
Khushi says
Combine all the ingredients except oil, 1 onion, 10 cashews, salt, shahi jeera, tomato puree, veg stock, potatoes, bay leaves, water and mushrooms. This part is not understood
maria says
Khushi all these ingredient’s are suppose to be grounded in the grinder with little water. Hope this has helped you thanks.
dassana@vegrecipesofindia.com says
the mushroom cafrael looks yummy… i am going to try this recipe at home.
maria says
Thanks 😉